Archived: Support Me at Home

Updated 26 October 2016

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

This inspection took place on 21 September 2016 and was announced. The provider was given 48 hours’ notice before we visited the office because the service provides care to people within their own homes. The provider and staff operated from a central office and we needed to be sure that they would be on the premises so we could speak with them during the inspection.

The inspection team consisted of two inspectors and an expert by experience. An expert-by-experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service.

Before the inspection, we requested that the provider complete a Provider Information Return (PIR). This is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. This was received from the provider. We also reviewed other information that we held about the service. We had requested feedback before the inspection from the local authority safeguarding and quality assurance teams.

During this inspection, we spoke with nine people who were using the service and one relative of a person who received care from Support Me at Home. We also spoke with three staff, the registered manager and the provider.

We looked at the care records of four people who were using the service, three people’s medicine records, three staff recruitment records and information in relation to staff training. We also looked at how the provider monitored the quality and safety of the service.

Updated 26 October 2016

This was an announced inspection that took place on 21 September 2016.

Support Me at Home is a service that provides personal care to people in their own homes. At the time of the inspection, 37 people were receiving care from the service.

There was a registered manager working at the service. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

People received care from staff who were kind and caring and who treated people with dignity and respect. There were enough staff available to provide people with the care and support they needed. However, improvements are required to ensure that people receive their medicines correctly.

People received care that was based on their individual needs and they were consulted about the care they required and supported to make decisions about its delivery. People knew how to complain and any complaints made were investigated and responded to.

People were protected from the risk of abuse and risks to their safety had been assessed and actions taken to reduce these risks from occurring. Staff asked people for their consent before providing them with care.

Good leadership was demonstrated. The staff were happy working for the provider and felt supported in their role. Their morale was good and they understood their individual roles and responsibilities. The provider had promoted an open culture where both staff and people using the service could raise concerns without any hesitation.

Systems were in place to assess and monitor the quality and safety of the service being provided. The provider acted on any feedback received with the view to improving the quality of care people received.